Class Clowns & Teenage Gala

Teachers don’t appreciate your sense of humour? Looking for a different outlet to channel that pent-up exuberance? Look no further as Class Clowns, the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s annual competition for secondary students, is on the hunt for the zaniest kids in Years nine to 12 at school - and we encourage a bit of tomfoolery in our class.

In 2009 we’ve revamped the timetable with the Class Clowns tour hitting the road between May and July (Term 2 for most cities), alongside the Comedy Festival’s national Roadshow tour.

Punters at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in April will still get a chance to see Australia’s most riotous kids at the brand new Class Clowns Teenage Gala. This brilliantly funny evening is an L-plated version of the Comedy Festival Gala, showcasing some of the best Aussie comedians under 20.

The line-up includes previous Class Clown contestants, young RAW contestants and other impressively refreshing up-and-coming talent from across the country.

When the national tour kicks off in May, Class Clowns will hold workshops and performances in every capital city and major regional areas in search of the most hilarious secondary school aged acts in the country.

Teenagers will be given the opportunity to work alongside some of the Comedy Festival’s finest comic talent, polishing up their own original five minutes of stand-up, sketch or musical comedy for a real live public performance hosted by a professional comedian.

The cream of the teenage crop will fly to Melbourne in September to hit the main stage at the 2009 Class Clowns National Grand Final with a $2000 first prize up for grabs.

Since its inception in 1996, Class Clowns has been developing the art of comedy amongst the nation’s teenage comics from Darwin to Hobart, Perth to Bateman’s Bay and in over 20 centres in between. The program is supported by teachers’ notes and online resources, as well as year-round developmental and professional workshops.

For heaps of background material on Class Clowns including highlights from last year’s Grand Final and the national schedule, visit http://www.classclowns.com.au

CLASS CLOWNS & TEENAGE GALA

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall, Main Hall

Date: Friday 24 April

Tickets: Full $18, Concession $12, Groups of 6 or more $12, Laugh Pack $12

Time: 1:00pm

Bookings: Ticketmaster 1300 660 013 or www.comedyfestival.com.au